Therapeutic appliance



May 13, 1941. c. E. SANDERS 2,241,480

THERAPEUTIC APPLIANCE Fzled June 9, 1938 Patented May 13, 1941 UNITE STATES PATENT DFFICE (Cl. 12S-33) 8 Slaims.

ll'his invention relates to a therapeutic appliance, and more particularly to an appliance wherein a bed frame or support is caused to rock or oscillate while at the same time supplying a predetermined pressure to a cuff or the like applied to the patient. The present invention constitutes an improvement upon my co-pending application Serial No. 170,682 for Therapeutic appliance.

In the application of the culi to the limb cf a patient, it has been found heretofore that where the cuff was applied tightly so as to remain in place, even when pressure was released, the pressure exerted 4by the pump was too great for the patient. However, when the cui was wrapped more loosely about the limb, it was found that when the pressure was released, the cuff tended to slip out of position, particularly in view of the oscillation of the bed frame. This difficulty, together with the further complication that different patients require different degrees of pres* sure, has made it extremely diliicult to operate an oscillating bed oi the class described herein effectively.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple and effective means whereby the cuff may be tted snugly in position about the limb of a patient so that it remains rmly in position even when pressure is released while at the same time controlling the pressure so that it does not eX- ceed that required by the patient. A further object is to provide mechanism of simple and effective construction whereby the desired pressure may be exerted` upon the patient irrespective of the degree of tightness with which the curi is initially wrapped about the patients limb. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred form, by the accompanying drawing in which is given a diagrammatic View in elevation of apparatus embodying my invention.

In view of the fact that the entire apparatus is shown specifically and in detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 170,682 for Therapeutic appliance, I have illustrated herein only such working parts as are essential for the understanding of the invention together with the i..

provenient apparatus forming the subject matter of this application.

In the illustration given, A designates in dotted lines the base frame; B, the bed frame or patient support; C, mechanism for oscillating the bed frame or patient support; and D', mechanism for supplying pressure during the operation of the bed.

The frame in the illustration given comprises metal side members i0 supported upon casters l l.

Patient support B is a substantially rectangular framework to which a spring structure or bed may be attached. For clearness of illustration, only the framework is here shown, it being understood that any suitable sort of spring or mattress structure may be attached thereto.

The mechanism C for oscillating the bed may be of any suitable forml or construction. Drive disk 34, which is rotatably mounted upon a central shaft 33, is driven by any suitable source of power. The mechanism for driving disk 34 is shown in detail in my said co-pending application Serial No. 170,682 for Therapeutic appliance. Secured to one edge of the driving disk 34 is a cam extension l5, the function of which will be later described. The disk 34 is provided with a swivelled sleeve member 3'5 which receives the rod 3S. Rod 36 extends through a pivot bearing 'i4 which is swivelled to the frame A. The outer end portion lof rod 36 is connected through the member tu and an' adjustable worm and gear Y connection 42 to rod il which, in turn, is pivotally connected to the bed or support B. The foregoing description with respect to the operating mechanism C is brief but suflicient to show the method of rocking the bed B, a full description of the mechanism being shown, as stated, in my co-pending application Serial No. 170,682 for Therapeutic appliance.

The mechanism D for supplying pressure comprises, as illustrated, a rod member 63 which is secured to a forward extension of the member 'I4 and of a pump casing 6| which is secured at its upper end by means of pin 62 to the frame A Movement of the rod 36 causes the plunger carried by the stern 63 to move Within the casing 6I and to produce a pressure therein. Leading from the upper end portion of the pump 6l is a pressure outlet pipe which communicates with the fitting 53. From the fitting, a pipe 69 extends to a cuff member l2. From the other end of the T- fitting, a tube 80 extends to a exible bag 8| housed within a casing 82. The casing 82 is provided at its top with a hollow guide boss 83 receiving the stem 84. The stem 84 is provided at its lower end with a pressure plate 85. The upper end of stem 84 is pivotally connected to a transverse operating lever 86 which is anchored at one end with a spring 8l which is diagrammatically illustrated. The opposite end oi the lever is provided with a hollow nut 88 threadedly receiving the actuating screw 89. Thelo-wer end of the actuating screw extends through a xed threaded boss 90 carried by frame A. The upper end of the screw 89 is equipped with an operating wheel 9 I. If desired, the traveling nut 88 may be equipped with a pointer 92 adapted to be brought into alignment with graduation mariks 93 carried by frame A.

From the flexible bag 8| in housing 82, an outlet tube 94l leads tofa release member 95 equipped with an actuating plunger 96. The plunger 96 is adapted to be operated by a pivot member 91 equipped with an actuating screw 98. The free end of member 91 is raised when the cam 16 of disk 34 strikes the lever. When the screw 98 is thus raised, it strikes plunger 96 and operates the spring pressed valve within member 95 to open the same to the atmosphere.

Operation In the operation of the device, the bed or support B is oscillated through the mechanism connecting the bed with the driving disk 34. As driving disk 34 rotates, the swivel sleeve 35 is carried about the disk, thus raising and lowering thefree end o-f rod 36 which reciprocates within sleeve 35. As the rod 36 is raised and lowered,

Vit pivots about the swivel sleeve 14 carried by casing A and thereby lowers and raises the upper end of rod 36 which carries the vertical rod 40 and the worm and gear connection 42, the latter being connected through rod 4| to bed B. At the same time, the reciprocation of rod 34 operates stem 63 and the piston within casing Glaso as to create pressure therein, air being expelled through the outlet pipe and entering tting 68. From iitting 68, the compressed thereby raised or lowered. The exact capacity of the bag 8|, or the degree of pressure to be exerted upon cuff 12, is indicated by graduation marks 93, with which the pointer 92 may be aligned. p Y

In the application of the cuff, the physician may fit the same securely in position without regard to the pressure which is to be exerted, thus making certain that the cuff will not shift out o-f place when the pressure is released. After fixing the cuff, he may determine the desired pressure and set the machine for such pressure by the rotation of wheel 9|, as above described. Thereafter, the pressure leaving the casing 6I fills the cuff and simultaneously the bag 8|. During each rotation of the drive disk 34, it will be noted that the pressure is released from bag 8| through the valve 95. This is accomplished, as described more in detail, in said co-pending application Serial No. 170,682 for Therapeutic appliance, through the actuation of plunger 96 by the screw bolt 98 as lever 91 is swung upwardly after engaging the cam p-rojection 'I6 of drive disk 34.

With the apparatus described, it will be observed that no valve'construction is employed in connection with the cuff where the same might be accidentally operated by the patient. Instead,

simple-and positive means are employed whereby the pressure is determined for the particular patient and maintained at the desired point irrespective of the pressure of the pump, the entire. operation being automatic after the setting of the apparatus for operation.

While in the foregoing description, I have set forth one specific embodiment as illustrative of my invention, it will be observed that other equivalent means may be employed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, a pressure cuff adapted to be applied to a patient while lying upon said frame, means for supplying pressure to said cuff, means for releasing the pressure from said cuff periodically, expansible means for controlling the pressure within said culi, said eX- pansible means being connected to said pressure release valve, and means for synchronizing the reciprocating mfeans with the pressure releasing means whereby the pressure is periodically released at a predetermined portion of the cycle of movement of said bed frame.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, a pressure cuff adapted to be applied to a patient upon said frame, pump means for supplying pressure to said cuff, single means for actuating said pump means and said reciprocating means, means for releasing the pressure within said cuff, an eX- pansible container connected to said culi', and adjustable means for limiting the expansion of said cuif.

3. In apparatus o-f the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, a pressure cuff adapted to be applied to a patient upon said frame, means for supplying pressure to said cuff, means for releasing the pressure within said cuff, an expansible container connected to said cuff, and adjustable means for limiting the expansion 1 of said cuif, said last-mentioned means including a fixed housing for said container and a pressure block therein for limiting the capacity of said container.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, a pressure cuff adapted to be applied to a patient upon said frame, means for supplying pressure to said cuff, an expansible container connected to said cuff, a housing for said container, a block within said housing adapted to vbe shifted for compressing said container, an actuating rod engaging said block, a lever engaging said rod, and means for moving said lever to actuate said rod.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, a pressure cuiT adapted to be applied to a patient upon said frame, means for supplying pressure to said cuff, an expansible container connected to said cuff, a housing for said container, a block within said housing adapted to be shifted for compressing said container, an -actuating rod engaging said block, a lever engaging said rod, and means for moving said lever to actuate said rod, said actuating means comprising a spring engaging one end of said lever and a nut secured to the other end of said lever together with a rotatably mounted screw member engaging said nut.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, a pressure cuff adapted to be applied to a patient While lying on said frame, means for supplying pressure to said cuff, said last mentioned means being actuated when said bed frame is reciprocated, a pressure release valve for releasing the pressure Within said cuff, and expansible means for controlling the pressure Within said cuif.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, pump means for supplying pressure to said cuff, single means for simultaneously actuating said pump means and said reciprocating means, and a pressure release valve for periodicallyreleasing the pressure in said culi.

8. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bed frame mounted for reciprocal movement, means for reciprocating the same, pump means for supplying pressure to said cui, single means for simultaneously actuating said pump means and said reciprocating means, a pressure release valve for periodically releasing the pressure in said cuff, and means for synchronizing the reciprocating means With the pressure release valve whereby the pressure in said cuff is periodically released at a predetermined portion of the cycle of m'ovement of said bed frame.

CLARENCE E. SANDERS. 

